Bringing To Life An Old Fashioned Tradition

Over 60 people attended the latest barn dance at Nelson Pioneer Farm

Oskaloosa, Iowa – History is alive at the Nelson Pioneer Farm, and Tuesday night was no exception. When you walked up to Bradbury Hall, you could literally hear the past coming in loud and clear as the folk music filled the air.

Hannah Roorda of Pella along with the Jenny Nettles Band of Iowa City combined talents to help recreate the sights and sounds of a traditional barn dance, with the caller leading the way.

Roorda calls dances in Newton on a regular basis. Her talents were then requested by Nelson Pioneer Farm, and she’s done her second dance at the facility now. Her interest in calling came from some friends at church who taught her ‘The Virginia Reel’. “We did that once and we said, that’s the greatest ever, we’ve got to do more of this.” and so her desire to learn more sprang up from that one experience.

So, without drivers licenses, and no one else in the area, she and her sister turned to the internet for more knowledge on an art form that is fading away.

Roorda was impressed with the turnout, that ended up being 62 visitors.

If you missed it, you can catch the band ‘New Broom’ as the play similar 19th Century Folk Music at the Fall Festival held on Saturday, September 15th. ‘New Broom’ will play at 10 am and 12:30 pm the day of the festival.

Plans are to have another dance on October 16th at 7 pm and to continue to have dances regularly on the third Tuesday of each month.

For more information about the dances or the upcoming festival, you can visit their website HERE or call 641.672.2989